Thermoplastic polymers having a high degree of heat resistance or thermal stability are the object of intensive research and development in many laboratories throughout the world. Since thermoplastic materials comprising these polymers can be molded rapidly and efficiently to articles of simple or complex design, mass production techniques can be utilized to provide a wide variety of useful products. Heat resistant thermoplastic polymers thus offer important advantages that can be used in applications such as electrical components, wire coatings, automotive parts, aircraft parts and the like. Often such polymers can be used in the form of composite materials which contain high temperature resistant fibers and fillers.
Arylene sulfide/sulfone polymers are thermoplastic polymers known in the art, and processes for making these polymers are disclosed in various U.S. patents of R. W. Campbell, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,016,145, 4,102,875, 4,127,713 and 4,301,274. Although these patents represent significant and valuable advances in the art, there is a need for a simplified process which can provide aromatic sulfide/sulfone polymers having high molecular weight. Further, there is a continuing need to discover methods which improve polymer yield while maintaining the high molecular weight of the polymer.